Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 23. Chapters: Alpins method of astigmatism analysis, Epi-LASIK, Excimer laser, Eye surgery, Femtosecond laser intrastromal vision correction, IntraLase, Intralase SBK, IntraLASIK, LASIK MD, Photorefractive keratectomy, PresbyLASIK. Excerpt: LASIK or Lasik (Laser-Assisted in situ Keratomileusis), commonly referred to as laser eye surgery, is a type of refractive surgery for the correction of myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. The LASIK surgery is performed by an ophthalmologist who uses a laser or microkeratome to reshape the eye's cornea in order to improve visual acuity. For most patients, LASIK provides a permanent alternative to eyeglasses or contact lenses. Major side effects include halos, starbursts, night-driving problems, keratoconus (corneal ectasia), and eye dryness. LASIK is most similar to another surgical corrective procedure, photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), and both represent advances over radial keratotomy in the surgical treatment of refractive errors of vision. For patients with moderate to high myopia or thin corneas which cannot be treated with LASIK and PRK, the phakic intraocular lens is an alternative. In the 1950s, the microkeratome and keratomileusis techniques were developed in Bogota, Colombia by the Spanish ophthalmologist Jose Barraquer. In his clinic, he would cut thin (one hundredth of a mm thick) flaps in the cornea to alter its shape. Barraquer also investigated how much of the cornea had to be left unaltered in order to provide stable long-term results. This work was followed by that of the Russian scientist, Svyatoslav Fyodorov (1920-2000), who developed the Radial keratotomy (RK) in the 1970s and designed the first posterior chamber implantable contact lenses (phakic intraocular lens) in the 1980s. In 1968, at the Northrop Corporation Research and Technology Center of the University of...